INTERVIEW: Oligarch Kekhman: "Culture is Russia's bridge to the West"

By Ulf Mauder Jul 12, 2011, 11:03 GMT

St Petersburg - Russian oligarch Vladimir Kekhman has landed a coup in engaging renowned Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato as artistic director at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre in St Petersburg.

'It's a miracle,' the 43-year-old businessman told the German Press Agency dpa in an interview. Kekhman, who studied theatrical arts in the city before making his fortune in the fruit trade, is regarded as an exception in the Russian cultural landscape.

The appointment was announced in mid-2010, and Duato took up his post in January.

After studying ballet in London, Brussels and New York, Duato worked in the Netherlands before being appointed artistic director at the National Spanish Dance Company in 1990.

The Mikhaylovsky, which was founded in the 19th century, is one of the oldest opera and ballet venues in Russia. Under Kekhman's guidance - and with the more than 25 million euros (35 million dollars) he has invested over the past five years - it has become a trendsetter in Russia, where the performing arts often still seem stuck in the Soviet era.

dpa: You have engaged the Spanish international star, choreographer Nacho Duato, as head of ballet at your theatre. What does this mean for the classical ballet tradition in Russia?

Kekhman: The fact that Nacho Duato is working in St. Petersburg is a miracle. This is unique in the past 150 years. We had the good fortune that he had not received a new offer in Spain. This is exciting for our audiences, as Nacho Duato is a trendsetter for new directions in ballet. In my view it is a mistake that contemporary dance does not have a place at our ballet schools.

dpa: Moscow's famous Bolshoi Theatre and the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg are symbols of classical ballet in the West. Does this tradition have a future?

Kekhman: We have a great many schools of ballet. The two big theatres are the foundations which ensure that the Russian ballet heritage will be maintained. If they manage to incorporate contemporary elements into the classical repertoire, that's wonderful. But their main task is to maintain the heritage, just as happens with museums.

dpa: But that's not enough for you?

Kekhman: At theatres like the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, structures prevail which ensure that a great artist can hardly evolve within a collective with its multiple internal relationships. But if we want to integrate into Western culture, we should also be part of global developments in contemporary dance.

dpa: Many express regret that culture in Russia is in an extremely poor state. How bad is it in your view?

Kekhman: There are certainly problems. Not only in Russia, but all over the world, because culture is an area that always consumes money, without yielding tangible profits. However, it would be a mistake to think that culture can be cut back on. Thanks to my own money and that provided by sponsors, I am in the unique position to basically take any decision I like. The reward is full houses and the gratitude of the public.

dpa: How can you contribute to ensuring that the positive image that Russian culture still has abroad is maintained?

Kekhman: Culture is the only bridge that links Western civilization to Russia. Everything that anyone in the West knows about Russia is learnt through art - from Chekhov, Tchaikovsky, Dostoyevsky and so on. Of course there are also gas pipelines, but that is a different story. That is an attempt by the new Russia to exercise influence on the West economically. But only culture unites us strategically.

dpa: A billionaire as director general of a theatre is unusual, not just in Russia, but internationally. What opportunities do you see for patrons of art in Russia?

Kekhman: My case is not merely a rarity, it's unique. Many donate money, but the key issue is the right management in the world of culture, administering the assets properly. For me it is not only important to maintain Russian culture, but also to transmit it abroad. And for that we need a wide range. Our unique cultural traditions are those that really set us apart from other countries.

dpa: Nevertheless there are no major Russian events of international renown, like the Bayreuth Wagner Festival or the Vienna Festival. There is no shortage of money, so what is the reason?

Kekhman: For Russia to integrate itself into international cultural activities there has to be professional management first of all, but also a tourism industry. If people are going to come to visit us, it has to be interesting and not too expensive. And big names are important. To date there has only been (Mariinsky Theatre artistic director and London Symphony Orchestra principal conductor) Valery Gergiev. If cities like Moscow and St Petersburg support projects like this, then we will all have a chance.